Fifth Grade Teachers Chatboard

In "I'm One of the Worst Teachers in My State" award-winning teacher Simone Ryals writes:

In the past decade, I have been greatly moved and honored to win numerous awards and been nominated for more still. My curriculum night presentations are always standing room only, because I’m the funny teacher who is going to make that half hour co...See More

Mar 13, 2014

How to teach less helplessness, more independence

by Kathleen

Mar 12, 2014

Today's article for educators:

Dealing with Learned Helplessness by Barbara Blackburn and Dr. Bradley Witzel

Learned helplessness is a process of conditioning where student seek help from others even when they have mastered information. Are your practices inadvertently fostering helplessness in students? What can teachers do to t...See More

Ten Year old Girl

by Cfor

Mar 8, 2014

I am a k teacher who will be meeting an old school friend along with her newly adopted ten year old daughter. I am writing for educational gift ideas that you feel would be age appropriate. Thank you for your help.

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ideas My students are about a year older, but girls that age love little purses and pencil bags with glitter and sparkle. They like doo-dads...pens that light up, pencil sharpeners and colored pencils with glitter...they like to make simple things and give things away...sometimes simple crafting items like making a jewelry box, or making a bead bracelet....See More

Mar 10, 2014

Jim Wayne's writing prompts for the week now posted!

Writing prompts for the coming week are posted online! (Note: Gazette pages might sometimes be unavailable for a few minutes at a time while the webmaster tends to some technical issues. If that happens, just check back a little later.)

Here's just one of many writing prompts for specific days in March that will entertain and motivate stud...See More

Mar 9, 2014

Danger! Teachers Face Threats of Broken Bones,Orwell,Auton'y

Sarah Powley writes in her March 2014 piece in Teachers.Net Gazette:

Maybe teachers should get hazard pay. Here are some other dangers I’ve exposed myself to in my long life in an American classroom...

Hopefully there's a hyperlink below, but if not, copy and paste: gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/sarah-powley/danger-zone...See More

Mar 5, 2014

In Finland Schools, specials aren't "specials"

In Finland Schools, specials aren't "specials"

Tim Walker is an American teacher teaching in Finland. His insights and comparison of US vs Finland school practices is highly informative and thought-provoking. Click below to read his latest post about "specials" in Finland schools (Click on his author byline to access more of his articles a...See More

Mar 4, 2014

9 Strategies to Use Current Events in the Classroom

Mar 2, 2014

With so much "heavy" news being reported this week, this is a great article offering interesting tips for using current events in the classroom. Please pass it on!

Hello?

by Nick

Feb 26, 2014

Hi everyone,

I'm a grade 5 teacher and my doctor recommended I look into teacher support groups because I've been having hard problems due to anxiety.

Not sure where to start, I googled 'teacher online forum' and a bunch of variations of this before I found this website.

Is anyone out there? :)

Nick

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view previous comments

Vet Teacher On 2/26/14, Nick wrote: Here in the States so many people take medication for anxiety... Have you tried St. John's Wort tea? It's a natural remedy for anxiety. The other natural remedy for anxiety is exercise - it builds up soothing chemicals in the brain.

Were you ever anxious before teaching? When I first started teaching I thought I had...See More

Feb 28, 2014

Carol Dear Nick, As the other teacher had said, the first year is often awful. During our first years, we almost always question ourselves and wonder how we are performing in the face of huge expectation from parents, administration and other teachers. My first year teaching was a disaster. It picked up from there and I seem to do quite well now - but it...See MoreDear Nick, As the other teacher had said, the first year is often awful. During our first years, we almost always question ourselves and wonder how we are performing in the face of huge expectation from parents, administration and other teachers. My first year teaching was a disaster. It picked up from there and I seem to do quite well now - but it was a process. I threatened to quit my first year but a popular, veteran teacher came and shared her experience demoralizing first-year teaching expereince with me. Part of me wonders if what may help with your anxiety is simpy knowing that you are not alone, nor a failure. I know this can be hard to do considering the competitive and, nowadays, blaming environment teachers find themselves in. I would like to share a piece of advice that veteran teacher shared with me my first year. She said, "No matter how bad it seems, do not quit your first year. It takes three years to make a good teacher. The first year you just survive. You learn about your teaching style, class management, new texts, curriculum, new colleagues, student needs, parental demands and the list goes on. With all these new skills and knowledge flying at you, it is especially dififuclt to adjust to students with extreme needs whether it be learning or discipline. During the second year, you take what you leanred the first year but you have some tools you know worked for you. You continue to experiment but it becomes easier. The third year, you have a godd idea of what works for you in terms of parents, lesson style, etc. You know the curriculum, technology and texts you are expected to work with. You know many of your colleagues. At this point you get to play with what works and you can become highly creative. You have freed up enough of your intense learning process to be able to focus whole-heartedly on students with extreme needs and you have a bag of tools you can try to see what works with them. I hope this helps ease your mind and self-criticism. Don't quit. Have compassion for yourself and the intense learning curve you are experiencing. If you can, look for an empathetic, experienced teacher to act as your mentor. Take care, Carol On 2/26/14, Nick wrote: > Hi Brian, > > last year was special needs children who I did not > have enough > support for. I gave it my all and it was not enough > to help these > kids. I felt like I was constantly failing. This > year is much > better except the parents are drilling me with > demands. > > Is this board for teachers in the USA or are there > Canadian ones > (like me) here as well? Also, is this the right > place to connect > with other educators or do you know of a > better forum / chatboard? > > Thanks for your response! > > Nick > > > On 2/26/14, Brian wrote: > >> Hey Nick, >> >> What's causing your anxiety? The kids, parents, >> colleagues? >> >> On 2/26/14, Nick wrote: >> >>> Hi everyone, >>> >>> I'm a grade 5 teacher and my doctor recommended I look into >>> teacher support groups because I've been having hard >>> problems due to anxiety. >>> >>> Not sure where to start, I googled 'teacher online forum' >>> and a bunch of variations of this before I found this >>> website. >>> >>> Is anyone out there? :) >>> >>> Nick

Mar 1, 2014